Agriculture Minister Atchannaidu introduced the agriculture budget of Rs. 48,340 crore in the AP Assembly. He said that Rs. 13,487 crore has been allocated for agriculture and allied sectors. He said that the goal is to reduce cultivation costs with technology.
Atchannaidu said that the seed subsidy of Rs. 120 crore that was due by the previous government has been paid and 35.8 lakh metric tons of fertilizer have been supplied to agriculture till now since coming to power. He said that the use of drones has been introduced for the first time in the agricultural sector. Awareness programs have been taken up on natural farming.
The minister said that an identification number is being given to farmers who own land and right cards are being given to eligible tenant farmers. He said that Rs.40 crore has been allocated for fertilizer management for 11 crops as growth engines. He also said that Rs.61 crore has been allocated for promoting natural farming and Rs.139 crore for subsidy on agricultural machinery.
Minister Atchannaidu revealed that 7.78 lakh quintals of seeds have been distributed. He said that Rs.80 crore has been allocated for subsidies on drones and 875 Kisan Drone Agricultural Mechanization Centers have been set up. Minister Atchannaidu revealed that Rs.219 crore has been allocated for agricultural mechanization, Rs.240 crore for seed subsidy distribution, Rs.250 crore for interest-free loans to farmers, Rs.9,400 crore for implementation of Annadata Sukhibhava and PM Kisan, and Rs.1,023 crore for free crop insurance.
He said that as per the promise made to the fishermen during the elections, Rs. 20,000 will be provided. He said that the fisheries and aqua sector has been identified as a growth engine to achieve the targets set in Swarnandhra-2047. For the benefit of 20,000 fishermen families in Pulicat Lake, work will be undertaken at a cost of Rs. 97.09 crore to open the sea mouth near Rayadaruvu village in Vakadu mandal of Tirupati district.
Also, the government is committed to increasing the marine fishing ban allowance from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 20,000 per family for all eligible marine fishermen, said Minister Atchannaidu. It was announced that Rs. 245.936 crore is being released before the fishing ban period this year for a total of 1,22,968 fishermen at the rate of Rs. 20 thousand per family. Under the PMMSY scheme, a sum of Rs. 30 crore has been proposed to transform 15 coastal fishing villages into climate change-resistant and sustainable development villages.
